Tag: Bob Berryhill

Louie Louie, Johnny B. Goode, and Wild Thing belong in a list that are staples for any garage band. Wipe Out belongs with them and your 15-year-old nervous singer doesn’t need to sing. It’s a song that everyone has heard and always was a popular one to play live. I also love that manic laughter intro.

The Surfaris were a surf rock band formed in 1962 in Southern California. That was absolutely the perfect time and place for a surf band. This song was not intended to be an A-side. They were recording a song called Surfer Joe and decided they needed to write something for the B side. Ron Wilson’s drumming is often hailed as one of rock’s most famous. It’s one that beginner drummers can actually do with a little work.

The song was written by band members  Bob Berryhill, Pat Connolly, Jim Fuller, and Ron Wilson. It was released in 1963 and did very well for a song meant to be a B-side. It peaked at #2 on the Billboard 100, #5 in Canada, and #5 in the UK in 1963.

It’s been covered by 106 different artists per secondhandsongs. One cover was by The Fat Boys featuring The Beach Boys in 1987 and it peaked at #2 in the UK, #2 in New Zealand, and #12 on the Billboard 100 and Canada.

Here is the single…Surfer Joe and the B side…Wipe Out.

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